N.Z. RUGBY UNION’S ANNUAL MEETING

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6911, 17 May 1929, Page 7

N.Z. RUGBY UNION’S ANNUAL MEETING

Australian Tours Discussed HELPING MINOR UNIONS .Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The thirty-seventh annual mooting ot iho New Zealand Rugby Union opened in Wellington to-day, when the president (Mr. G. A. Alaudison, of Hastings) presided. It was decided that an invitation be extended to the homo unions and the international .Bugby Hoard to send delegates to tho imperial Rugby Uonference which it was proposed to hold in ibiiU during the visit of the .British team. The question of whether frequent exchanges of visits between Rugby teams oi' New Zealand and New Boutn Wales was in the interests of tho game was debated. Mr. y. Wilson (Canterbury) declared that in Canterbury the opinion was held that too frequent visits between New Zealand and'Now South Wales teams were not in the best interests either of the game or the players in New Zealand. Mr. IS. S. Dean said that it had been realised that New Zealand must assist New South Wales us if the game went out in that State, New Zealand would bo completely isolated. lie read a let tor from an oliieial of the Now South Wales Rugby Union stating that that union regarded the visits from tho New Zealand teams as their very .life blood. The writer stated that it would be impossible to alter tho dates of the Now Zealand team’s tour. New South Wales, Mr. Deau proceeded, had had a Lara light, but were now making splendid headway. The game had boon started in i ictoria anu re-started in Queen.slaud and was flourishing iD tho country districts of Now South Wales. If tho game had gono down and out in Now' South Wales it would have boon a very serious thing for the Rugby game in tho Dominion. When New South Wales had become established on a sound fiuancial basis they could look to visits with Victoria and Queensland with loss frequent visits to and from New Zealand. Mr. E. Little considered that by having these tours to Australia they were helping New Zealand football. There was little hope of introducing the game in Victoria and it would be wiser to concentrate upon New South Wales and Queensland. Mr. J. Prcudevillo contended that the arranging of overseas tours was a matter for the delegates at the annual meeting and not for the management committee. Those in charge of the game knew how difficult it was to get a team away for a fortnight let alOno for some months. If they had too frequent tours thoro would bo a danger of fostering professionals. A voice: Bot I Mr. A. A. Adams (West Coast) said ho could not agree that tho management committee had no right to enter into agreement. It would bo absurd to suggest that any union should have to refer all matters to the unions. Decisions might have to bo made at a moment’s notice. Mr. Maciarlane agreed that the management committee w'as the proper body to make arrangements for overseas tours. The president (Mr. G. A. Maddison) said that much misunderstanding would be avoided if the management committee jvere to submit draughts of all important agreements to affiliated unions. Mr. T. J. King (Wellington) said that Now Zealand had sown the seeds of success in New South Wales and were now about to reap the benefit. They had almost brought the standard of play in Now South Wales up to that of New Zealand. Anyone who saw tho New South Wales team play in the Dominion would subscribe to this view'. Mr. Wilson said that the Canterbury Union had served its purposes in promoting tho discussion and ho withdrew the remit. Helping Minor Unions. Mr. A. A. Adams (West Coast) moved that 5 per cent, of the proceeds from Banfurly Shield games should be paid to tho New Zealand Union to form the nucleus of a fund for the assistance of such unions requiring it. Mr. H. Frost (Auckland) suggested that a sub-committee should be set up to consider the question of financially assisting minor unions. Air. S. S. Dean thought it might be h good idea for the New Zealand Union to set aside a portion of tho proceeds from the profits of the British team’s visit next year to the assistance oi minor unions. Mr. J. McLeod (Taranaki) said it was not money the minor unions wanted, but games. If tho major unions would exchange visits with tho minor unions it would do a great deal of good for the game. Air. J. Prcndevillc (Wellington) said that tho playing of matches with minor unions would be placing too great a hurdlo upon the players of major unions. The motion was carried almost unani mously. Maori Football. Complaints that tho contest .for the Prince of Wales Cup interfered too much with the inter-provincial programme were found to be groundless. Air. K. Tahiwi, secretary o*' tho Maori Board, said that if the New Zealand Union was satisfied that it eonld control Bugby amongst tho At a oris, then they could do away with the Maori Advisory Board. In order to do so, however, it was necessary to understand tho pay cliology of the Maori race. Tho Alaori Advisory Board comprised the most influential members of the Alaori race and their sole aim was to eneouragi the Bugby■ Union game amongst the Maori race. Ho was sorry that any suggestion had been made that -any olhoi object actuated the Maori Advisory Board. The Princo of Wales Cup had been donated for competition amongst the Maoris by His Eoyal Highness tho Prince of Wales and they only asked i that they should be able to bold tho ; contest each year. Mr. N. McKenzie (Hawke’s Bay)

suggested that tho Alaori Advisory Board should furnish unions with the dates of the Prince of AValcs Cup trial matches as early as possible if the seaIn tho past Maori players had been called without consulting the unions. The president (Mr. G. A. Maddison) moved that affiliated unionß be supplied with particulars concerning the Prince of Wales Cup competition and that the dates for the Prince of Wales Cup matches be arranged at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Union. The motion was carried.